CARE stands for Client Assessment, Referral and Evaluation. Everyone admitted into a long term care facility from any type of community based living must have a CARE assessment prior to admission.

CARE helps people find appropriate long term care services and collects data on the need for home and community based services. Visiting with a CARE assessor will give you a chance to discuss your available long term care options. The CARE assessor has information about services in your community.

Even if you have already tried and failed to find services, the CARE assessment will be useful in recording the lack of service in your community. The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services reports its findings on service availability to the Governor and the Legislature each year.

The assessment is a personal interview with you (and your family or other caregivers such as a guardian/conservator when appropriate) to evaluate your health and functional abilities. It should take no more than one hour. There is no cost for this assessment.